Uncle Fred, or to give him his full title: Fredrick Altamont Cornwallis Twistleton, fifth Earl of Ickenham, is considered by some as a "splendid gentleman, a sportsman to his fingertips". Mr Twistleton, nephew to Earl, and otherwise known as "Pongo" to his friends, has a differing view. He simply describes his uncle as "being loopy to the tonsils".

People who bought this also bought...

Full Moon

The moon beamed down genially on the turrets and battlements of Blandings Castle. Sleep, however, eluded Clarence, ninth Earl of Emsworth. To be compelled to play host to his younger son, Freddie, was enough; add his sister Veronica and a chap called Tipton Plimsoll and you have a situation at which the doughtiest earl might quail...

Service with a Smile

The description of his ancestral seat as an earthly Paradise would, at present, have struck its proprietor as ironical, full as it was with unwanted and troublesome inhabitants. What Lord Elmsworth needed above all was a rugged ally at his side to remove from Blandings its superfluous guests, leaving him in peace to tend to his beloved pig, Empress of Blandings. However, when Lord Ickenham is on a sweetness-and-light-spreading expedition, there's always apt to be trouble.

Leave it to Psmith

The idyll of Blandings Castle is about to be disturbed, for the Hon. Freddie Threepwood is poised to make his debut as a jewel thief. Freddie, however, is not alone: Blandings is simply brimming with criminals and impostors all intent on stealing Aunt Constance's 20,000 pound diamond necklace. It is left to the debonair Psmith, with his usual aplomb, to unscramble the passion, problems, and identities, of one and all.

Pigs Have Wings

Can the Empress of Blandings win the Fat Pigs class at the Shropshire Show for the third year running? Galahad Threepwood, Beach the butler, and others have put their shirt on this, and for Lord Emsworth it will be paradise on earth. But a substantial obstacle lurks in the way: Queen of Matchingham, the new sow of Sir Gregory Parsloe. Galahad knows this pretender to the crown must be pignapped. But can the Empress in turn avoid a similar fate? Pigs rise above their bulk to vanish and reappear in the most unlikely places....

A Pelican at Blandings

Clarence, ninth Earl of Emsworth, sank back in his chair looking like the good old man in a Victorian melodrama whose mortgage the villain had just foreclosed. He felt the absence of that gentle glow which customarily accompanied the departure of one of his sisters. Lord Emsworth needed Galahad....There are tricky corners to be rounded, and assorted godsons, impostors, and pretty girls to be paired off.

Summer Lightning

While Blandings Castle sleeps in the summer sun, the Hon. Galahad Threepwood, brother of the Earl of Emsworth, is busily engaged in writing his Reminiscences, and they look set to be as warm as the weather, if not warmer. For Galahad has led a thoroughly misspent life, and his acquaintances can all too easily recall their past follies in his company. Reputations are at stake and even the nobility and gentry are beginning to panic.

Uncle Dynamite

A chance meeting on a train brought together Lord Ickenham and Bill Oakshott, although being told that the love of his life, Hermione, was engaged to none other than Pongo, Lord Ickenham's nephew, did not make Bill feel like he'd been struck behind the ear. And what with the usual amount of stirring goings-on at Ashendon Manor that include biffings and black eyes and duckings in duck ponds, is there any chance that it will ever work out for poor Bill?

Galahad at Blandings

Sam Bagshott, son of the late Boko Bagshott, had been at Blandings Castle only a short while, but long enough to know that anyone enjoying its hospitality must get the occasional shock. Sam braced himself as the possibilities flitted through his mind. The house was on fire? Empress of Blandings had taken to the bottle again? Constable Evans had arrived with a search warrant?

Blandings Castle

Here are a dozen stories to delight all Wodehouse addicts.... A crooning tenor is attempting to captivate the affections of the Rev. Rupert Bingham’s fiancée; Lord Emsworth is striving to remove a pumpkin-shaped blot on the family escutcheon; the Hon. Freddie Threepwood is making a last-ditch attempt to convert Lady Alcester to the beneficial quality of Donaldson’s Dog-Joy; and in the bar-parlor of the Anglers’ Rest, Mr. Mulliner fascinates everyone with the secret history of old Hollywood.

Hot Water

The house-party at Chateau Blissac, Brittany features a rather odd array of guests this year. Mr. J. Wellington Gedge is hoping for some peace and quiet while his wife takes herself off for a while. She, however, has invited numerous visitors to the chateau, to whom he will have to play reluctant host. Senator Opal and his daughter are expected, and so is the chateau's handsome owner Vicomte de Blissac.

Young Men in Spats

From the author, whom the Times called "a comic genius" and "an old master of farce", are 11 further stories featuring such eccentric characters as Freddie Widgeon, Cyril (Barmy) Fotheringay Phipps, Percy Wimbolt, and Pongo. Young Men in Spats includes the following stories: "Fate", "Tried in the Furnace", "Trouble Down at Tudsleigh", "The Amazing Hat Mystery", "Good-bye to All Cats", "The Luck of the Stiffhams", "Noblesse Oblige", "Uncle Fred Flits By", "Archibald and the Masses", and more.

Something Fresh

The one thing that could be expected to disturb the peace of life at Blandings is the incursion of imposters. Blandings has imposters like other houses have mice. On this occasion there are two of them--both intent on a dangerous enterprise.

Psmith in the City

Psmith and his friend Mike are sent by their fathers to work in the City. But work is the last thing on Psmith's mind; surely there are more interesting things to do with the day than spend it in a bank? Unfortunately the natives aren't conducive to his socialising within work hours, but all's fair in love and work as the monocled Old Etonian, with a little grudging help from Mike, begins to rope in allies in order to reform the bank manager and make him A Decent Member of Society.

Meet Mr. Mulliner

In the Angler’s Rest, drinking hot scotch and lemon, sits one of Wodehouse’s greatest raconteurs. Mr. Mulliner, his vivid imagination lubricated by Miss Postlethwaite the barmaid, has fabulous stories to tell of the extraordinary behavior of his far-flung family.... One of them concerns Wilfred, who lights on the formula for Buck-U-Uppo, a tonic given to elephants to enable them to face tigers with the necessary nonchalance.

Aunts Aren't Gentlemen

On doctor's orders, Bertie Wooster retires to sample the bucolic delights of Maiden Eggesford. But his idyll is rudely shattered by Aunt Dahlia who wants him to nobble a racehorse. Similar blots on Bertie's horizon come in the shape of Major Plank, the African explorer, Vanessa Cook, proud beauty and 'moulder of men', and Orlo Porter, who seems to have nothing else to do but to think of sundering Bertie's head from his body.

The Small Bachelor

For George Finch, one of "Nature's white mice" and probably the worst artist ever to put brush to canvas, there are many obstacles to overcome. Undoubtedly the greatest is his beloved Molly's fearsome stepmother, Mrs. Waddington, who has her eye on an eligible English lord for a son-in-law. Luckily, George has an ally in sharp-witted Hamilton Beamish, an old family friend of the Waddingtons.

The Luck of the Bodkins

Monty Bodkin loves Gertrude, who thinks he likes Lotus Blossom, a starlet who definitely adores Ambrose, who thinks that she has a thing for his brother, Reggie, who is struck by Mabel Spence, sister-in-law of Ikey Llewellyn (movie mogul, Ambrose’s prospective employer and reluctant smuggler), but hasn’t the means to marry her. With well-meaning but unhelpful ship’s steward Albert Peasemarch and a toy mouse thrown in for good measure, it will take the luck of the Bodkins to sort it all out.

Lord Emsworth and Others

Contained here are nine glorious episodes from the idyllic world of Wodehouse. There's a crime wave that was to rock Blandings Castle to its foundations which broke out towards the middle of a fine summer afternoon; Ukridge appears on Corky's doorstep at three in the morning, wearing his yellow mackintosh and requesting a whisky and soda; while the Oldest Member warns of the folly of driving into the father of the girl you love.

Eggs, Beans, and Crumpets

Newly married to novelist Rosie M. Banks, Bingo bucks the current trend by being extremely happy, although he does tend to lose his shirt on various horses. This collection of wonderfully funny stories features a cast of outrageous characters.

Psmith Journalist

Meet Psmith, with a silent 'P' as in psychic. A gallant, charming individual, Psmith has a gift for getting into awful scrapes, and when he takes over a gentile journal known as Cosy Moments with the aid of Billy Windsor, its sub-editor, he turns it into a radical publication...with alarming and hilarious results.

A Damsel in Distress

When Maud Marsh flings herself into George Bevan's cab in Piccadilly, he starts believing in damsels in distress. George traces his mysterious travelling companion to Belpher Castle, home of Lord Marshmoreton, where things become severely muddled. Maud's aunt, Lady Caroline Byng, wants Maud to marry Reddie, her stepson. Maud, meanwhile, is known to be in love with an unknown American she met in Wales. So when George turns up speaking American, a nasty case of mistaken identity breaks out.

Big Money

Most of the big money belongs to Torquil Paterson Frisby, the dyspeptic American millionaire--but that doesn't stop him wanting more out of it. His niece, the beautiful Ann Moon, is engaged to "Biscuit", Lord Biskerton, who doesn't have very much of the stuff and so he has to escape to Valley Fields to hide from his creditors. Meanwhile, his old school friend Berry Conway, who is working for Frisby, himself falls for Ann--just as Biscuit falls for her friend Kitchie Valentine. Life in the world of Wodehouse can sometimes become a little complicated.

A Few Quick Ones

In A Few Quick Ones, P.G. Wodehouse brings together some of his oldest friends for a party. Jeeves and Wooster are there, so is Mr Mulliner and the Oldest Member. And also the Drones, Oofy Prosser, and Bingo Little.

Money for Nothing

The peaceful slumber of the Worcester village of Rudge-in-the-Vale is about to be rudely disrupted. First there’s a bitter feud between peppery Colonel Wyvern and the Squire of Rudge Hall, rich but miserly Lester Carmody. Second, that arch-villain Chimp Twist has opened a health farm, and he and Soapy and Dolly Molloy are planning a fake burglary so Lester can diddle his insurance company. After the knockout drops are served, things get a little complicated.

Publisher's Summary

Uncle Fred, or to give him his full title: Fredrick Altamont Cornwallis Twistleton, fifth Earl of Ickenham, is considered by some as a "splendid gentleman, a sportsman to his fingertips". Mr Twistleton, nephew to Earl, and otherwise known as "Pongo" to his friends, has a differing view. He simply describes his uncle as "being loopy to the tonsils". But when the eccentric and well-loved Uncle Fred plays Cupid to Lord Emsworth, his old friend at Blandings Castle, little did he know that he would be known as Impostor A and the Lord's beloved pig, the Empress, as Impostor B.

I never listen or read a book more than once, BUT this one I can't stop playing and giggling or just plain laughing at.The Duke and his egg bit is hilarious. The pig bit had me ROFLM brains out. Great read and tons of fun and laughs

Uncle Fred is one of Wodehouse's most engaging characters. Uncle Fred in the Springtime is one of his best books. And Jonathan Cecil's performance is does full justice to them both.

First, there is Cecil's ability to give each character a distinctive (and appropriate) vocal portrayal. Then there is his consistency in those portrayals. Add his ability to get every nuance out of every line and you have a full hand.

But wait, there's more. This is simply one of the best books in the Wodehouse canon. Start with a plot so tangled it may take a few listens to get it fixed in your mind (fear not; this is a story and a reading that gets better with every hearing). Add those various situations--from a Zulu warrior wedged into a phone booth to a spot of indoor artillery practice--that could only happen in the world according to Wodehouse. And to top it all off, there's Uncle Fred, his jumpy nephew Pongo and the lovely, lissom Polly Pott, crashing the exclusive gates of Blandings Castle posing as...

Well, you'll just have to listen.

Added goose: unlike some of the Wodehouse offered by Audible, this recording is crystal clear.

The reading of this classic Wodehouse book is a delight! As a Wodehouse fan, I have often been disappointed by the manner in which these delightful tales have been read on audio editions. I experienced no such disappointment with this particular edition. Jonathan Cecil executes the reading superbly and displays a masterful understanding of the nuances of this farcical writing style. Cecil is quite astounding in his ability to clearly create each of the characters with his voice alone. His reading is absolutely spot-on!

The storyline is a typically convoluted Wodehouse script with the characters being lead through a maze of comical, topsy-turvy situations. No-one can describe the eccentric English aristocracy quite like Wodehouse. The characters, who dance their way through this tale of love, onion soup bars, pigs, daffy dukes, eccentric earls, agonizing aunts, private detectives and bad-tempered poets, provide many a laugh. This book is a delight from beginning to extraordinary conclusion.

So, whether you are a confirmed fan of Wodehhouse or a newcomer to this author and style, I know you will love this fabulous Audible edition of "Uncle Fred in the Springtime". Do yourself a favour and immerse yourself in the amusing world of Wodehouse.

What made the experience of listening to Uncle Fred in the Springtime the most enjoyable?

Jonathan Cecil brings this book to life with his many voices and expressive reading. With its twists and turns, unlikely happenings that always seem to happen in PG Wodehouse's books and the wonderful narration this book had me laughing out loud much to the consternation of my family. When I had it playing out loud I would find my husband and daughter hovering around to hear what was going to happen next.

What did you like best about this story?

I love the humour, sub plots and ridiculous situations PG Wodehouse's characters find themselves in and eventually extricate themselves from. Lots of good clean fun.

What about Jonathan Cecil’s performance did you like?

Jonathan Cecil is absolutely brilliant at bringing all the characters to life. I don't know how he keeps track of all the different voices he does!

If you could take any character from Uncle Fred in the Springtime out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I would bring Uncle Fred out to dinner as he seems a charming, eccentric and fun individual.

Any additional comments?

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone wanting a bit of gentle fun and a good laugh out loud.

I enjoy PG Wodehouse immensely. This particular story is not my favorite. I think it's just too much of the same thing. Uncle Fred is pretending to be Roderick Glossup and he keeps running into people who know he's not Roderick Glossup and his story changes for each person.

Firstly I have to mention that I love all things Wodehouse. Uncle Fred in the Springtime is in fact one of my favourite Wodehouse books. I am guessing that most people who download this audio book will likewise be Wodehouse fans, so I don't have to mention the intricate plot, and indeed plots within plots, and general pig stealing shenanigans, all of this will be familiar territory to the legions of loyal fans. What I must say is terrific though, is the narration by Jonathan Cecil. He is perfect! He really becomes all those characters and his voice is somehow so completely suited to what he is reading. I look forward to downloading all the Wodehouse novels that Jonathan Cecil has narrated.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

11/30/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not so witty wodehouse"

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This was a bit longer than the usual Wodehouse and as such the story tended to ramble and it was tricky keeping track of some of the very similar characters.

Would you ever listen to anything by P.G. Wodehouse again?

Absolutely. I have been reading and listening to Wodehouse for many years and there are many titles, especially Summer Lightning and What Ho Jeeves.

What does Jonathan Cecil bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

He certainly attempts to bring the characters to life, and mostly succeeds. However the number of very similar characters as written by Wodehouse proved to be a challenge.

Did Uncle Fred in the Springtime inspire you to do anything?

It has inspired me to check the length of comic novels before purchasing. I found the character of Uncle Fred a bit flat, so will avoid him in future.

Any additional comments?

I would certainly look out for other books narrated by Jonathan Cecil.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Report Inappropriate Content

If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

Your report has been received. It will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

Can't wait to hear more from this listener?

You can now follow your favorite reviewers on Audible.

When you follow another listener, we'll highlight the books they review, and even email* you a copy of any new reviews they write. You can un-follow a listener at any time to stop receiving their updates.

* If you already opted out of emails from Audible you will still get review emails by the listeners you follow.